Escapade to a Homestay in a Heritage Mansion

This year was not the same for me as was earlier. Earlier i used to go for my vacations in the month of December, but this year due to some domestic work my December trip was not done in 2014.As soon as my son’s summer vacation started we started to think there has to be a change from this routine and we decided to go for a relaxed day or two and then for some heritage site which can be covered in a short span of time. This was the month of May 2015 and i started the search for a place to relax first and soon my friends suggested Chikmangalur.Soon i started to look for the places where i will be able to stay comfortably and i soon found this place called Thippanahalli Home stay. As all do, i too visited Trip advisor and other reviews and took advice from some of my friends about the place and i got some good and some average comments. But what made me to think was this was not a hotel but a home stay and i wanted to test this homestay outing and experience it out in this short period.

We started our journey from Bangalore on 20th May to Chikmangalur and reached the place at around 4.00pm.This home stay is some 12-15 km from the main Chikmangalur town and people who are interested to have a visit to the Mullayangiri and Baba Budan Giri peaks can come and have a short term indulgence in this coffee estate.

The entrance of the Thippanahalli Estate & Home stay

This home stay is situated inside a dense coffee estate which is managed by the Aralagauppe family.As we reached the entrance and our vehicle moved in,we were surrounded by the greenery of the trees and the coffee plants on both sides of the estate as if we were in between a dense forest but the serene climate and the sun's indulgence in between the bushes of the trees gave a glimpse of the place which we were about to explore in the next one day.

The Greenery of trees on both sides of the pathway

As we passed through and reached the entrance,we were witness to the red & white mansion inside this green refuge of plants & trees.

The Red & White Bungalow

As we moved in there was a sprawling garden in front of this mansion.

The Garden in front of the Bungalow

This home stay is an extension of the larger Thippanahalli Estate which is a coffee estate which is some 6-7 generations old.The bungalow is a contemporary British era building which was constructed and completed between 1924-34.The current generation of the Aralagauppe family manages the whole show of the estate including the home stay.The present generation of the family which Nitin represents, manages the affairs of the estate and the home stay.As i reached the place,Arpita,wife of Nitin welcomed us and took us to one of the cottages,Kent which was having a contemporary look of the Cottages found in the UK,with a bell in front,a welcome board sign which was a unique one,and a name plate of the cottage name.

My son Surya in front of the 'Kent'Cottage

We soon got our evening tea and then we went out to have a look around of the tea estate.Arpita guided us to the walking trail and told us to get back soon in the evening as it was slightly drizzling and the evening was turning darker.

During the evening trek in the Thippanahalli estate

As we came back we tried to indulge in some history seeking and soon in the entrance of the bungalow we found the framed family tree,some shooting trophies which dates back to history,and some contemporary art works which gave us a feeling as if we are to a heritage place where we had a homely feeling.

Again we asked for a cup of tea and then we rested for some time in our cottage.Post 8.00pm we were called for the dinner by the caretaker of the home stay.We were for the most pleasant surprise of the cuisine which was served to us.It was the Malnad cuisine which we were taking for the first time.I have heard a lot of the same but never had the opportunity for having one.The menu was something like tomato soup,Akki roti (Roti made of rice flour,grated onion,green chili,coriander leaves etc..),Kadabu(a rice ball steamed with coriander leaves and small Dal pieces),rice with pudina,Chicken curry,sambar & Holige as the sweet dish.We were having the feast as if we were having it at home with the Beethoven music in the background running and soothing our ears.We were experiencing something westernised but with an Indian pinch which was everlasting.Nitin accompanied us and explained the different dishes which is served in this part of the world.It was all made of stuff which are more or less homegrown in the estate.This was an experience beyond my imagination with the host also giving company to us and sharing the different experiences which they had in the home stay.This is how anybody should feel when they are in a home stay.

I chatted with Nitin regarding the way of life in the estate and the routine course of things he do the whole day, as i felt like the estate is isolated from the rest of the world.He told if it was the estate only then what i told was right,but the home stay has made a difference and the family is always connected with the rest of the world with people coming from far away places.Post the dine,Nitin told about the things we can do the next day in the morning and we left for our cottage.We were tired of the journey and we all went early to bed and had a good sleep.

The next morning was lined up with some activities in the estate.

The morning began with the hearing of the chirping of the birds and a clear sunny climate.We were for a morning walk along with Nitin to the coffee estate where he explained some four family audiences, who were staying in the home stay, of the process in which the coffee is extracted and how the same is marketed in the international market.

Nitin (on the left) accompanying for the morning trek in the estate

Unripened Coffee Beans

Nitin showed the unripened and the ripened coffee beans,the different varieties of the beans that are available in the market and the one which they market from the estate.He told that there are two varieties of coffee beans namely Arabic and Robusta.Here in this estate they grow the Arabic variety of coffee which is used for making instant coffee.

Ripened Coffee Beans

After the walking trek, we were back to the main bungalow for the morning tea and i was for the surprise of my lifetime.We were sitting in the garden and the view we got of the bungalow with the Mullyangiri hill in the backdrop was an experience in itself.

Thippanahalli Home stay Bungalow with Mullayangiri hill covered with mist in the backdrop

The bungalow was glowing in its colour combo of red and white with the greenery around the place and in the backdrop we were seeing the Mullayangiri peak,which was covered partially with the white morning mist.This sighting was very satisfying since this was an experience we as a family has never had as of now.

As soon as we completed our tea we went for our daily chores to be completed before we embark to our journey to Mullyangiri and Baba Budangiri peaks which was behind the estate.By 8.30 am we were called by the caretaker for the breakfast.Today only we were seeing the dining area ,as yesterday in the night we were not able to see the the outside and the surroundings in full.My visit to Portugal sometime in 2012 has given me a taste of the European and British contemporary settings of dining area and i was seeing it again in this place.The name of the place was Peaberry with a welcome signboard and a bell hanging on the same.

Peaberry,the Dining Cottage

There was a clock stating Victoria station 1747 London,seems old but well maintained.There was  a bell hanging for visitors to call the staff for assistance in the dining cottage.

The Entrance of the Dining Cottage Peaberry

The inside of the dining cottage was well set and arranged in a British- European style of setting with again the Beethoven music played in the background when we were having the breakfast.

Inside the Dining cottage

Once we completed our breakfast along with Nitin and Arpita,we moved to see the serene mountains of Mullayanagiri and Baba Budangiri.

We ended the day,post coming back after missing the sunset from the sunset point,since the climate was very cloudy and were only able to see the sun covered by the clouds rather than the sunset.After the tedious trekking we had in both the mountain ranges,we were all tired and after our meal went early to bed.Before i went i had a word and a request to Nitin whether he will mind to just get me through the beautiful mansion for which he agreed and told that we can have it in the morning.

Early morning we started with hearing the chirping of the birds and just coming out of the cottage and seeing the Mullyangiri peak soaked in the morning mist with the wind playing a topsy-turvy and changing the direction of the mist every time.This site can be seen very rarely and i was just imbibing the image in my mind ,never to forget this moment anytime.Soon i had my tea and Nitin called me for the visit to the Bungalow.

Misty Mullayanagiri Peak

As soon as i entered the bungalow,we were witness to the family tree which tells us about the 6-7 generations of the Aralagauppe family.

The Family Tree

Nitin explained the different generations of the family and how the present bungalow was built and in what period it was built.As we entered through the first door of the bungalow we were witnessing a colour change which was visible in the main hall or the guest room.Was surprised to see a different colour.Nitin was able to catch the surprise element on my face and came explaining me that each of the rooms in the bungalow is having  a colour theme which was actually the concept of his grandma.She brought in the colour themes in each of the rooms of the bungalow.The one which we witnessed was blue.

The Guest room with the Blue theme

Each of the objects will be in blue if the colour theme is blue

The next room which we witnessed was having a colour theme of red.

The room with the colour theme as Red

The Passage in between the Kitchen area and the Main entrance hall

We visited the main hall and the kitchen area of the bungalow.Each of the elements in the area was aesthetically maintained and well preserved as if the heritage of the family and the surroundings are well taken care off.

Then we moved to the main Guest hall which was in the upstairs.As we moved we felt as if we were moving in a palace which was carrying its splendour in all its decor and its surroundings.As we entered the guest hall we were spell bound to see the chandeliers and long hall with chairs for the guest on both sides of the hall,sofa's in between for sitting and the male family tree of the generations on the wall of the hall.

The Guest Hall 

When we looked from the other side of the hall we were able to see the female family tree of the generations which has ruled the family.

The Guest Hall

Inside the hall i caught hold of this specific bell which was surrounded by small lamps in circle.This was one of the old antics which caught hold of my lens for the peculiar nature in which it was built with brass.

The Bell surrounded by small lamps

The time was around 10.00 am and we were becoming late for our onward journey to Belur Halebidu and to Bangalore.Then Nitin gave me a surprise.He just enquired to me and the driver where we will be going post this and my reply was Belur.He asked the driver in Kannada can't he go to Belur via Belavadi seeing the Veeranarayana Temple on the way.This temple was not in our itinerary and he just said to have a look at this place and you will not regret going to this place.What he told turned out to be very true.The Veeranarayana Temple in Belavadi turned out to be one of the best i have seen in the Hoysala Architecture as of now.

Nitin along with me and my wife-Photo courtesy -My Son Suryajith

Before we embarked on our onward journey to other places, we had a group photo with Nitin to keep our memory with the place and the family.Truly the escapade to this homestay this time around was a different experience with we in the nature lap and at the same time enjoying the heritage mansion as if we were to a palace surrounding.

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